


Christmas with You

by Sheenapple



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ash Lynx Lives, Bathing/Washing, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Bliss, Established Relationship, Kissing, Living Together, M/M, Mistletoe, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:42:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28474131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheenapple/pseuds/Sheenapple
Summary: Ash and Eiji's first Christmas as boyfriends.
Relationships: Ash Lynx & Okumura Eiji, Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 5
Kudos: 67





	Christmas with You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LongLiveTheRobots](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LongLiveTheRobots/gifts).



Lids fluttering open, Ash could make out a white horizon through the window. Ivory dots falling from the sky, settling onto powdery snow that reflected sunlight. He sat up, appreciating the sight of a beautiful Christmas morning. 

His first Christmas with Eiji as his lover.

The Japanese boy slept beside him, chest rising and falling and hands clasped together. To this day, Ash couldn’t believe that the two had managed to settle down; after having almost lost Eiji countless times, the image of him in a peaceful sleep was like a mirage. Nearly a year of living as a couple had gone by, in which Ash and Eiji had built beautiful memories in a cozy Massachusetts home. 

The blond continued to watch the snow fall, waiting for his boyfriend to wake up so they could start the day. He wondered what present Eiji had got for him, and anticipated the moment that the pair would be unwrapping each other’s gifts. 

Only two presents sat underneath their small Christmas tree. Throughout the month, the couple had received and sent gifts to close friends, but reserved this special day for themselves only. 

A warm hand pressed against his shoulder. Ash turned his head to see Eiji wide awake, a cheerful twinkle in his brown eyes. 

“Merry Christmas!” beamed the Japanese boy, pulling his boyfriend into a tight embrace. 

“Merry Christmas, silly. You almost gave me a heart attack, touching my shoulder like that out of nowhere.”

“Did I really?”

As usual, Eiji’s voice showed genuine concern. 

“Nah, I’m joking. Let’s go get breakfast.”

Ash was delighted to spend this day with someone who cared for him so much. No other gift could bring him happiness like Eiji’s presence did. 

…

The boys prepared their first meal of the day together, Ash serving as an aide while Eiji gave full attention to scanning the recipe book. The end result was a stack of fluffy golden pancakes, purple blueberry syrup drizzling from the top. 

Once they’d finished breakfast, the pair made their way into the spacious living room, Ash taking a seat in front of the Christmas tree. His gaze fixated on Eiji’s present, a small rectangular box wrapped in metallic red. With a black sharpie, the Japanese boy had drawn a heart on the top side of the box, the words “from Eiji, to Ash” written inside it. 

Ash’s reflection was visible on the gift wrap, its ripples distorting the snowflake pattern on his knit sweater. Through the reflection, the blond watched as Eiji walked behind him, getting closer to the fireplace and lighting it. 

In an instant, waves of heat hit Ash’s skin. 

“You want to open your gift first?” Eiji asked, taking a seat right next to his boyfriend.

“Sure, I’m curious.”

“Wait. I’ll let you open it if you give me a kiss first, okay?”

“Okay, you sap. Come here.”

He placed his fingers under Eiji’s chin, tilting the other’s head up before closing the distance between them. In response, the black-haired boy let a hand rest on Ash’s lower back.

A modest kiss as warm as the fire. 

“Now you can open it,” Eiji said, grabbing the red box and placing it on Ash’s lap. “What do you think it is?”

The blond didn’t hesitate to rip the wrapping apart, his boyfriend’s eyes widening in surprise from the sudden gesture. Ash was sure excited about the gift, which Eiji took a bit of pride in. 

Once most of it had been torn off, the blond was able to make out a golden brown surface decorated with little stickers. Soon, it was clear that the item was a large hardcover book, stickers shaped like hearts, bunnies and cute Japanese characters adorning its front. Clearly, Eiji had been the one who had left them there, the soft pastel colors juxtaposing with the book’s plain ones. 

“It’s an album of us,” he explained, prompting Ash to open the heavy book. “I tried including as many pictures as possible!”

The first pages displayed images of the two during their “just friends” stage. The two had kept a visible distance in the photos, yet yearning was obvious in their eyes. Memories of old times gave Ash bittersweet feelings; it felt like his days with Eiji in New York had gone by in a flash. The boy fought off nostalgia, reminding himself that today, the two were in a safer and more stable place. 

And most importantly, he was sure that his love towards Eiji was reciprocated. 

As he flipped the pages, pictures of the pair as a couple revealed themselves. Multiple polaroids of them hugging, and one of them kissing on the lips they’d taken while drunk. One page was reserved for strips they’d gotten from a purikura booth, a reminder of a short trip they’d taken to Tokyo. 

This gift, though inexpensive and simple, was the best one Ash had received to this day.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” he spoke, locking eyes with Eiji. 

“Do you like it that much?”

“No, I love it. Really, I could look at this all day.”

Eiji smiled. “Ash, I’m so glad to hear that! I was scared you would want something better…Maybe something less cheap.”

One hand made its way to his neck, rubbing it up and down in sheepishness. 

“What could be better than the time I’ve spent with you?”

The Japanese boy approached Ash, then wrapped his arms around the blond’s shoulders. 

“Thank you, sappy. And you like the stickers too?” he asked. 

“They’re cute. Like you.”

A quick peck to his cheek. 

“Alright, get off me and open your gift now,” Ash teased, making Eiji crawl back to where he’d been sitting. 

“Fine, fine.”

The dark-haired boy picked up the present, mindful as he untied the green ribbon wrapped around its form. Gaze full of wonder, he continued to open the package, eyes becoming bright like the stars when he finally grasped a brand new camera. 

“I’ve been wanting this one for so long!” Eiji beamed, exploring his new device by checking all of its sides. 

It was quite an expensive item, but Ash didn’t mind as he had plenty of money to spare. Spoiling Eiji brought joy to his heart; he loved the look on his boyfriend’s face after receiving something he’d been wanting for a long time. 

Eiji had been raving about this particular camera for a while, sharing plans for future photography projects with Ash. When he’d gone shopping for Christmas gifts, the Japanese boy’s enthusiasm over the gadget was the first thing to have come to mind. 

“So, you gonna take some pictures of me?” the blond joked, leaning back and winking at his boyfriend. 

“Not right now!” Eiji pouted, placing the camera next to his thigh. “I’m gonna use this for serious projects. But if you want, those can include pictures of you.”

“Maybe I can be your model for that beach photoshoot you’ve been talking about.”

“You’d be perfect for it. But we have to wait until the snow goes away, unfortunately.”

He imagined Ash posing for him near the sea, the sunlight bringing out the lovely shades of green in his irises. A cherry-tinted flush spread across his cheeks, which the other caught sight of even after Eiji had turned his head away. 

“Oh, are you blushing?” he provoked, nudging the black-haired boy’s arm. “Thinking of me modeling for you?”

“Hey, get away!” Eiji laughed. “You’re gonna break my camera if you get too close!”

“Well, I bought it, didn’t I? It’s mine, technically.”

“Then the album is mine! Want me to take it back, huh, Ash?”

“I’ll fight you for it.” 

“You don’t wanna fight me.”

Being as gentle as one could be, Eiji pinned the blond against the carpet, fingers interlocking with the other boy’s.Their eyes met, and it was Ash’s turn to become beet red from embarrassment. 

“Did I teach you a lesson?” he teased, leaning down to plant a kiss on Ash’s forehead. 

“Yes. Now let me go so I can give you a proper kiss.”

Once they’d sat up again, Ash reached into his pocket, fishing out mistletoe he’d hidden earlier. He dangled the plant over the space between him and Eiji, inviting the boy in front of him to close it.

“Come on, kiss me under the mistletoe,” pleaded the blond. “It’s tradition.”

“I don’t need mistletoe to want to kiss you,” Eiji replied, cupping Ash’s cheek before pressing their lips together. He couldn’t help but smile into the kiss, endeared by Ash’s flirty gesture. 

Outside their home, the snowfall continued, coloring the landscape with its ivory shade. Aside from the fire crackling, the room was silent. 

The two boys pulled away, both feeling as if the kiss had gone on for a lifetime. Each second spent together felt this way, an eternity packed into a short measure of time. 

Neither would want it any other way. 

“So, since we’re following traditions today,” Eiji pointed out. “We need to order KFC. It’s what we do in Japan every Christmas.”

Ash let a chuckle escape, hit with a sudden culture shock. 

“Never heard of that,” he commented. “You’ve gotten KFC every Christmas there?”

“Yes, my family always got it. Do you not like it? We can get something else if you don’t. Or I can cook.”

“No, I wanna get it! I was just surprised. Japan and America really are different.”

The day went by in a flash, and after the sun had set, the two shared a bucket of fried chicken for dinner. To complete the meal, they toasted with Merlot; an unusual combination which ended up satisfying both. 

Having KFC for Christmas wasn’t something that Ash had ever expected to do, but he was always welcoming to new, positive experiences. Being Eiji’s partner, he was sure that those would be plentiful throughout their life together. 

The pair finished the night with a cozy bath, Ash gently massaging Eiji’s shoulders with shower gel. A week prior, he’d bought a product with a comforting gingerbread scent, a limited edition for the Christmas season. As he spread the liquid onto Eiji’s skin, its sweet perfume filled the humid air. 

Once they’d dried off, the boys cuddled under their heavy blanket, listening to the sound of each other’s breaths. 

“Sorry I couldn’t do more for you today,” Eiji muttered, nuzzling his face into Ash’s chest. 

“Hey, what do you mean?” Ash raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t know. Maybe I should have thrown a big party or made dinner for us. But today was simple.”

“What if I didn’t want any of that? You know, I’m happy just to spend time with you.”

Eiji smiled, reaching for his boyfriend’s hand. “Thank you.”

“To be honest,” Ash continued. “This was the best Christmas of my life.”

“Mine too. I’m so happy.”

The Japanese boy reflected on his past Christmas celebrations. During his stay with Ash in New York, the two had thrown small parties with their friends. All had been entertaining, but back then, they hadn’t confessed their true feelings yet. To Eiji, everything was much better with Ash as his significant other. 

In Japan, he’d spend time with family: His parents, grandmother and little sister. Eiji would be lying if he said he didn’t miss them, but staying by Ash’s side was worth the separation. 

His mind wandered into daydreams of introducing Ash to his relatives, earning complete acceptance from them. Maybe his dream would one day come true, and maybe Ash would feel as if he’d found a family at last. 

“You thinking about something?” asked the blond, noticing the hazy look on the other’s face.

“Oh, nothing much,” Eiji responded. “Just...things I’d like to do with you in the future.”

“Like?”

“Uh, introducing you to my parents…”

“I’d love to meet them someday. But let’s plan that another day, alright? I’m getting sleepy.”

The dark-haired boy lifted his hand to reach Ash’s scalp, digits running through velvety golden locks. After living together for a few months, he’d discovered that this was the quickest way to have Ash doze off. 

“Go to sleep, then,” he murmured, continuing the slow and tender movements. “It’s been a long day.”

“You’re cute. Goodnight, Eiji, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight. Merry Christmas, Ash.”

“Merry Christmas.”


End file.
